Ovonyx produces a RANDOM access memory that would be on par with NOR as a cross-point architecture.

"Unofficially, the 90nm, 128Mbit part is being billed as a NOR flash-compatible replacement. Cliff Smith, technical industry manager at Intel, said that the part provides fast read and write speeds at lower power than conventional flash, and allows for bit alterability normally seen in RAM.

The non-volatile memory technology is based on the electrically induced phase change of chalcogenide materials, which have been difficult to manufacture reliably in volumes. Phase-change materials have both crystalline and noncrystalline states that can represent "0" or "1," and it's possible to toggle between them by applying a small reset current.

"Alverstone" and future products will become a key part of Numonyx, a new independent semiconductor company created through an agreement among ST, Intel and Francisco Partners. Signed in May 2007, the venture is expected to close in Q1."

What Intel and ST are up to, by having the over- right ability of bits....or as they put it..."allows for bit alterability normally seen in RAM" you do not have to flash or program the bits....that they can get away with the matrix being crosspoint and bloatware can go on as usual.

doni